mooney



J. B. MOONEY. Steamboat Staging.

No. 233,159. Patented Oct. 12, I880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. MOONEY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES L. HAVEN, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM BOAT-STAGING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,159, dated October 12, 1880.

Application filed March 30, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. MOONEY, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steamboat-Stagings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to facilitate handling the stages or platforms for steamboats or other water-craft and I accomplish this result by suspending the staging from one end of a rope or chain, whose other end has attached to it a weight capable of nearly counterbalancin g said staging. This rope or chain or other flexible support is rove through :5 one or more sheaves applied to a derrick or crane or other instrumentality that will permit the proper movements of the staging. The staging being thus counterbalanced can be handled with the utmost ease, and conse- 2o quently there will be no need of a special engine or other expensive and complicated contrivances for shifting the staging. This advantage renders my improvements peculiarly applicable to such vessels as have no 2 5 special engine for shifting the staging.

The annexed drawing is a perspective view of a vessel provided with my counterbalanced staging, a portion of the mast and suspensionrope being broken away.

0 Fitted within the (look A of the vessel is a stout mast, B, of any suitable height, said mast being preferably arranged so as to rotate freely either to the right or left, as occasion may require. The upper end of this mast 3 5 B is journaled in a collar or plate, 0, to which collar braces D are applied for the purpose of maintaining said mast in an erect position. These braces may be attached to any part of the vessel, provided they do not interfere with 0 the proper handling of the staging K.

Projecting laterally from mast A is the boom E, of a suitable length, said boom being suspended from the mast with any approved system of tie-rods F, or otherwise. The boom and mast are respectively provided with sheaves G and H, to receive a rope or chain or other flexible support, I, one end of said support being attached to the yoke or stirrup J of staging K, which staging or platform is of any approved construction. The other end of support I carries a weight, L, capable of nearly counterbalancin g said staging K.

It is evident that the above-described construction of mechanical appliances enables the staging K to be readily swung or shifted to either side of the vessel, and without making use of steam or other power, the aid of one or two men being all that is necessary to handle said platform K with the utmost facility and promptness.

As the leading feature of my invention consists in counter-balancing the staging so as to be readily shifted by hand, 1 wish it distinctly understood that I do not propose to limit myself to the specific appliances herein described, but the right is reserved of modifying the details ofconstruction, provided this essential feature of the invention is retained.

In some cases the mast B and boom E may be entirely omitted, and the staging K can then be suspended from the rigging of the vessel or from any other convenient. support on the boat or other water-craft.

I claim as my invention- 1. For steamboats and other water-craft, a counterbalanced staging or platform whose poise or weight is attached directly to the rope or other device that supports said staging or platform, as herein described and set forth. 8o

2. The combination, for a water-craft, of mast B, swinging boom E, guy F, sheaves G H, suspender I, staging K, and counter-balance L, which latter is attached directly to the same suspender I that supports the staging, as herein described and set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN BRUCE MOONEY. Witnesses:

JAMEs H. LAYMAN, GEORGE H. KOLKER. 

